


Shades of Grey

by Bratty_lil_Angel



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-27
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-27 07:28:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8392594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bratty_lil_Angel/pseuds/Bratty_lil_Angel
Summary: Four years ago, Leonard Snart learned two hard lessons. One to always have a backup plan to the backup plan. The other, some sacrifices just aren't worth it. Now, he and Lisa run into a past mistake, and is forced to re-evaluate the path before him.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Okay first, please go easy. Where I am not new to fanfic, totally new to this realm. So I apologize if a character seems . . . off. I am a glutton for the bad boy. Doesn't matter what show, I seem to find the bad guy a tad bit more interesting, and really wish more information of their character is shared. Leonard Snart is my bad boy who snagged my attention, and had my writing muse wonder just how we could play with him. So, I played with him, and by doing so, THIS IS AU. AU, as in I stray from the original story. I may pull in some things here and there, but this is a Snart fic. A Snart, AU fic. Oh, and there will be an OC, I did express AU, yes?

Chapter One

“You killed him.” Stuck between stunned and disgusted, Barry looked up from the dead body on the ground to the unaffected man who’d just murdered his own father. “Why would you do that?” 

“He broke my sister’s heart . . . again.” Sneering down at the man, Leonard’s mouth pinched. “I hope you’re not going to get all squeamish, and back out on our little arrangement.” 

“You’re kidding.” Unable to keep his eyes from straying to the dead body, Barry shallowed hard before running a hand through his hair. “Snart, you just killed your Father.” 

“So we are doing the squeamish thing.” Scratching the side of his head with his gun, Leonard let out a long sigh of frustration. “Barry, I really wish we didn’t have to go that route. It could really hurt our little arrangement.” 

“Our arrangement?” Barry croaked. “You’re a murderer Snart. That man.” Pointing wide eyed at the body on the ground with a shaky hand, Barry pushed back his mask and stared in disgust. “He raised you.”

“And what a great job he did.” Leonard nearly purred. Seeing how Barry wasn’t backing down, and was getting ready to launch into what was most likely the world’s longest speech on how killing was wrong, Leonard raised a hand to stop him while heaving a weary sigh. “Consider what I just did as delayed self-defense.” 

Taking a step over his father’s corpse, to stand toe to toe with Barry, he contemplated the man in front of him. After everything, the Scarlet twit still believed the world was black and white. He would’ve laughed, but the last few days had been hell. “If that doesn’t work for you, then perhaps you can close your eyes for a minute, and consider all of the other atrocious things that miserable lump of flesh was going to have me do. Are you really so naïve to believe he was going to stop here?”

“But we got the bomb out of Lisa’s head.” Barry argued. “No one had to die.” 

“I am going to give you some free advice Barry.” Drawling out the other male’s name, more as a reminder he knew the Flash’s real identity, Leonard spun on his heel and made his way back to the abandoned bag. “Weaknesses can be exploited. This game is much easier when you don’t have any weaknesses to use against you. The ole man had my number, Lisa is one of my weaknesses. What can I say, I love my family.” 

Picking up the bag and slinging it over his shoulder, Leonard headed to the end of the hallway, but was intercepted by Barry. “I can’t let that happen Snart. We had a deal. You didn’t kill.” 

“How I see it, our arrangement is still intact. That piece of trash was unfinished business, plus I kept mum on your identity.” 

“You have to pay for what you did.” 

A flash of anger moved across Snart’s face. “I have. More than you’ll ever know.” 

“That’s not what I meant.” 

Heaving a sigh, Snart shrugged. “The only place I’m going to is my underground lair.” 

“Wait,” Blinking, Barry frowned. “You have a lair?”

“No Barry.” With a long suffering sigh, Leonard shook his head. “I don’t have a lair. Lairs tend to be permanent, I’m not much of a long term kind of guy. Shocking I know. Basically it boils down to this. I learned the hard way to have a backup plan in place. From the second you stepped into this building your pretty mug has been recorded. . . all of it.”

“The surveillance was disabled.” The second the last word slipped from Barry’s lips he paled slightly, as he mentally went through his part of the con.

“Ah, yes, there it is. I see reality is setting in right about . . . now. I got one of those techno freaks helping me out, good kid, a little weird but he’s loyal. When our valiant CCP eventually arrive, and Barry they will, they’ll find either one of two things.”

“And what is that?”

“If I get to walk out of here with a stern lecture and slap on the wrist, they’ll be disappointed to find out the feeds were tampered with.” 

“What’s option number two?”

Shaking his head, steel blue eyes narrowed, as Leonard’s smirk grew. “Not a good option for you Barry. Number two, it’ll show me, my old man and the CCP’s beloved CSI tech getting really, really rich.”

“You wouldn’t.” Rolling his eyes at his own stupidity, Barry laughed hoarsely. “Of course you would.”

“I would.” Leonard brushed past Barry. “Send Lisa my love.” 

 

~~0~~

 

“Killing your own Dad.” Letting out a long whistle, Cisco leaned a hip against his console and eyed the pretty brunette across the room. “I know he’s Captain Cold, but dude that’s really cold, as in-“

“Please don’t say it.” Caitlin pleaded. 

“As in Cold Hearted.” Cisco finished with a huge cheesy grin.

“You just can’t keep away from the easy ones.” Rolling her eyes at her co-worker, Caitlin folded her arms over her chest, while turning her attention to where Lisa was still rubbing at her neck. “I can’t imagine what’s going through her mind.”

“Probably for the best.” Dr. Stein muttered under his breath, before taking a seat in the corner. 

Tilting her head to the side, she studied the other woman. “Her brother just killed their father.”

“You act like you knew him or something.” Lisa sneered, her pretty face lifting to study her audience, her cobalt blue eyes moved from each one slowly to the next. A flare of agitation raced through her veins, as her feelings of gratitude instantly dissolved into smoke. They didn’t get it, never would, because they didn’t live through the nightmare she and Lenny had. Apparently fishing a bomb out of her head, wasn’t proof enough that Lewis Snart was a rabid beast who needed to be eliminated. 

“The fact that you’d think I’d be anything but relieved shows you’ve never met a real monster. My Father, he was the worst of them, Lenny did the right thing.”

“How can you say that?” 

“Quite easily.” She muttered, suddenly reminded why she rarely got along well with others, standing up from the stool she’d been sitting on, smirking when Caitlin took a slight step back. “Lenny did you all a favor, one less villain to chase down.” 

“There were other ways.” Cisco countered. 

“Like what?” Lisa’s cloy tone mocked him, before a brittle smile spread across her lips. “Anger management classes? Probation? How about a decade in Sing Sing? None of that stopped him from putting a bomb inside my head. No matter how many jobs he blackmailed Lenny into doing, no score was going to be enough.” 

“Your father, he was still human.” Caitlin challenged. 

“Debatable.” Lisa hissed. 

“Why are you arguing with her?” Taking off his glasses, Dr. Stein looked around the room as though they were wasting time. “Just like her brother, she’s – “

“Evil?” Lisa snorted. 

“I was going to say damaged.” Almost looking contrite, Dr. Stein leveled a look over at the younger Snart. 

“Oh stop, you’re gonna make me blush.” Lisa purred. 

Moving from Caitlin’s side, Cisco took a few cautious steps forward. “Why are you acting like this, like you’re – “ 

“Evil.” Caitlin simpered. 

“Not evil.” Cisco swung his head toward his teammate and friend, then back to Lisa. “Was it all an act?”

Her face turned blank. “What act?”

“Where you almost acted human.” Looking as though he’d been personally betrayed, Cisco’s eyes plead with hers. 

“Almost human.” The words were slowly spoken, and for a brief second Lisa Snart almost felt hurt, as memories from another time threatened to break out of their cage. She was not going to let her momentary moment of weakness give these people the advantage. “That right there is why you all will eventually lose.”

“What are you talking about?” Moving past Cisco, Caitlin looked affronted by Lisa’s announcement. 

“You people lump everyone who doesn’t ride on your little moral parade as pure evil. Viewing us as being one dimensional, capable of only hatred and discontent.” 

“Basically.” Caitlin nodded, her face a hardened mask. 

Narrowing her eyes at Caitlin, Lisa felt a burning desire to wipe the condensation from the little tarts face, preferably with a lot of pain. “So what is it princess?” Lisa sneered. “Am I the monster who lurks in the shadows, feeding off your fear, or am I human, who deserves special consideration? I’m not the one who turned a large portion of the human population in this town into megafreaks.”

Amused when Cisco tried to pull Caitlin back, Lisa found the entire situation pathetic. 

“That was an accident.” Cisco stammered. 

“Doesn’t matter.” Lisa crooned. “The way I see it, you and all the other science geeks did a very bad thing, which you never really paid for. That is how it works right? You hurt someone, do something wrong, you are a very bad person?”

“But unlike you, we’re trying to correct what happened.”

Clapping slowly, enjoying how easy it was to enrage the uptight princess. “And on behalf of the city, we would all like to thank you, excellent job you’re doing. Do you ever wonder, how many lives you ruined that day? The families you destroyed? Those megafreaks-.”

“Humans, Megahumans.” Caitlin cut her off.

“Whatever” Lisa snapped. “You stand there and look down your pointy little nose at us, when instead you should take a long look in the mirror. I may be a thief -.”

“And a criminal, and a killer.” 

“I’m also a survivor.” Her lip curling back into a sneer, Lisa moved easily in her stiletto boots closer to where the other girl stood trembling. Whether in anger or fear, Lisa couldn’t tell, not that she really cared. “Unlike you people, I have the ability to tell who the real monsters are, from those who are like me and Lenny. And until you can, you will lose every single time.”


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Well before the mad scientists at S.T.A.R. Labs flipped the switch and lit up the night sky in the most spectacular and life changing way, the good moral citizens of Central City were wagging war on the rundown industrial area, along the northern waterfront. Claiming the neglected shells only attracted the criminal element, needed to be leveled so they could make room for the future prosperity of the town. Warehouses and factories, which had one time served a purpose and employed a large portion of the town, had long been abandoned when it became cheaper for corporations to send work overseas.

In basic terms. The so called, law abiding citizens of the Central City suddenly grasped what a nice water view the derelict area possessed. Of course their epiphany appeared only after local developers gave them a glimpse of how advantageous it would be to buy into one of their overpriced lofts, surrounded by swank storefronts and upscale restaurants who specialized in reptile eggs smothered in dandelion sauce, or whatever else those idiots found trendy. What the dumb little lemmings didn't know, was the developer pushing for the revitalization of the northernmost section of the city, was owned by the same mob family the residents detested.

Leonard had to give it to them, the scam was quiet brilliant. Not only did one of their shell companies own that particular portion of the city, which would make them a fortune in the sale of the property, but then profit from the brand spanking new shiny development.

As far as he was concerned, one of the best outcomes from the explosion was how easily those chumps were diverted from improvement to blaming S.T.A.R Labs. Which in turn, left his little playground of empty warehouses and large abandoned factories alone. He hadn't lied, he didn't have a lair, he had a cement jungle at his disposal. He had every structure, every beam memorized, just as he had each and every one of his hidey-holes filed away inside his head. Of course when the situation called for it, there were a few specially chosen locals in Inglewood to lay down low when the heat was on. Or when he needed some me time.

Looking down from his perch on top of what had once been a cannery, Leonard cracked open a cold beer and snorted when Mick threw a lit match on a gas soaked pile of lumber in the empty lot below. His left hand slipped into his jacket pocket, and let his thumb and finger rub over the item inside. A tremor of an emotion threatened to emerge, until he took another long pull from his drink.

"Hope you got him a bag of marshmallows." Appearing out of the shadows, Lisa winked over at her brother and took the lawn chair next to him. "So."

"So." Leonard drawled back.

"Are we rich, or was that all for nothing?" There was a slight bitterness bleeding through his sister's tone, and Leonard raised a brow.

"We're financially blessed - for the time being." Ignoring the unspoken, Leonard took another drink while staring down at the campfire below. It didn't take long before the silence got to Lisa.

"Was it as gratifying as we always imagined?" She tried to act blasé, but the childish lilt in her voice gave her away.

"No." Leonard snipped, his eyes staring unblinking at the flames below, before shifting his eyes to inspect Lisa's expression. "What's with the long face sis?"

"I just thought I'd feel . . . " Pausing, trying to find the right words, "something." Lisa grumbled under her breath.

"Yeah." His voice barely above a whisper, Leonard tossed the empty bottle down, before fishing in the cooler for another. "On the bright side, your head didn't go Ka-boom."

A smile tugged at Lisa's lips. "Suppose I owe you one."

"And with my habit to attract trouble, I predict in the near future I'll be calling in that marker."

"Attract?" Lisa mocked, halfheartedly. "You mean create."

With a pained expression, Leonard pinched his nose. "So are we going to sit here all night, or are you going to tell me what else is on your mind?"

"I almost died." Lisa stated the obvious, but was still a little stunned about it.

"You've almost died a handful of times before tonight." He replied dryly.

Ignoring her older brother, she kept on talking. "It's funny. This time it felt more real."

"I had your back." Feeling annoyed at the vulnerable tone in her voice, Leonard stood from the second hand lawn chair and moved closer to the edge of the roof.

"I know you did." Lisa reassured him. "But there was a bomb, inside of my head. It made me start thinking about the past, mistakes I've made, people I miss."

"Please don't tell me this is the part where you saw the light and plan to turn your back on crime, I may just get sick."

"Don't be stupid." Lisa huffed, with a dramatic roll of her eyes. "I have very expensive tastes."

"Trust me, I know."

"It's weird really. I thought about the day I met Tegan, or actually the day we called a truce on our little war, and got to know the real her."

"Don't." His tone ice cold, Leonard swallowed the rest of his beer and tossed it off the building.

"I couldn't stop thinking about -."

"Then try harder." Shoving both hands into his jacket pocket, his left hand gripped onto the item hidden in there.

"Why won't you talk about her?" Lisa asked petulantly. "It's been four years already."

With a frown, Leonard grit his teeth, while he pulled the item from his pocket and studied it. Spinning on his heel, he faced his sister and held it out to her. "Found this on our loving father."

With hesitation, Lisa studied his stiff features, before plucking the picture from Leonard's hand. "How, I don't understand."

"Never been one for coincidence." Cynicism dripped from his tongue. "Daddy dearest was a dead man the second he had his goons take you. Having Tegan's picture on him, let's just say it gave me additional incentive."

Staring down at the image, Lisa smirked a little. "I remember taking this." Studying the petite blonde tucked up against her brother's napping form, she looked back up at him. "You retaliated by stealing my brand new pair of Jimmy Choo Maloy leather over-the-knee lace up boots."

"You deserved it." Taking the picture back, he quickly shoved it back in his pocket.

Any trace of humor slid off Lisa's face, as she stood up numbly from her chair. "Lenny if he had that picture on him, Tegan could be in trouble."

"I doubt it. The old man would've rubbed his leverage in my face. So we continue to do what we've done for the last four years."

"What? Nothing?"

"It's worked pretty well so far."

"So how did he get that picture Lenny? How do you know for sure none of his loser goons don't have instructions to inflict payback?"

"Cause the second the old man's cold corpse hit the ground anyone stupid enough to willingly follow him scampered off like the cockroaches they are." Leonard's face hardened. He had to give it to his father, he sure knew how to mess up his life in the most epic of ways. "And as to the how, our old man may have been a horrible thief, he was still a thief."

"So we don't do anything?"

"Staying away is for the best, for everyone." Moving toward the exit in the dark shadows, Leonard paused and turned back to where his sister sat. "We have enough weaknesses."

"I think you're wrong Lenny."

"I know you do." He nodded. "But I'm older and wiser, and if that doesn't convince you, try remembering what happened the last time."

~~*~~

There was just something about the Central City's police station that made Tegan Wentworth's skin crawl. Perhaps it was the stench of hypocrisy, mingled with a hint of corruption, that seemed to cling to her like a second skin. She wasn't stupid, there was a good cop or two who really wanted to do some good, to make a difference. It was just too bad they were outnumbered by the bad ones. Like the douche bag who was currently headed her way.

Putting on her best 'I'm gonna annoy you' smile she could muster, Tegan pushed away from the wall and stepped into the Officer Dumbasses path. "A minute of your time Officer Petey?"

"Buzz off Wentworth." Brushing past her, he headed to the stairs with a slightly quickened pace.

"Your words tell me to go, but your tone says otherwise." Not one to be detoured, Tegan dogged the man's steps.

"You're a real pain in my ass." Reaching his desk, he turned, leaned back while crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm really considering taking a restraining order out on you."

With wide eyes, Tegan placed a hand over her heart and heaved dramatically. "But what about our special bond."

"Jesus Christ woman, what's it gonna take to get you off my ass?"

"Well, doing your job would be nice."

"And here I thought you weren't all about following the law."

"I like to see it as shades of grey. I could care less about your back alley dealings with thugs, unless of course when there are children involved."

A look of understanding crossed the officer's face, as he took a quick look to see who was watching. "You need to drop this issue you've got for Gavin Day."

"Why didn't you submit your report to DHS?"

"Can't inform to DHS when there's nothing to report."

"I really wish you wouldn't waste my time like this." Tegan chirped as she hefted her large purse from her shoulder and dropped it on the officers desk with a thud, earning them a few stares.

"What are you doing?" He growled nervously as she started to fish out an eight by ten envelope.

"Gavin Day has been beating his kids. You know it, I know it, the entire town knows it."

"If I went by town gossip, you'd be behind bars."

A bright light dimmed slightly in her eyes, but not because of the reason Officer Petey was thinking. Giving herself a quick mental pep talk, she tapped the envelope against her chin. "Yes, and if you went by actual evidence I would've had a nicely typed report on my desk this morning."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Opening the envelope, she plucked out the first one. "The lighting in this one isn't the best for your complexion, but if you focus on your hands I think you'll see you're knocking back a cold brewski. Now I'm not really up on all the laws, and protocols, but something tells me drinking when on a call is bad."

Snatching the picture from her hand, the officer took a step closer. "This doesn't prove anything. It could've been taken weeks ago."

"Ah yeah." Rolling her eyes, she took another one out. "Time stamp could've been modified, and all that other technical junk I have zero patience for. Here, if you look to the right, you can see Gavin's son Trent, with quiet a shiner."

"Could've gotten that anywhere."

"And the bloody nose?" Any trace of charm melted off the tiny blonde's face as she dropped the picture to the ground. In slow motion, she pulled one picture after another out. Showing him each one before tossing it down. "I honestly don't care if you're on the take with some extremely questionable individuals. You and I? We're consenting adults, capable of making our own decisions. You want to take bribes and turn a blind eye, whatever. Between you and me, cops make shit money. But these kids, and any kids you find who are hurt and neglected? Well they don't have a choice."

Crouching down, the officer quickly swiped the pictures into a pile before picking them up and shoving them into one of his drawers. "You freaking Wentworth's think you're so better than everybody else."

"Seriously? Do you honestly think I haven't heard that before?" Picking up her purse up off the desk, she replaced her cheeky grin. "We both know the pictures I took are worth buckus in the court of law. But they will put your ass into hot water with internal affairs."

"I'll get you for this." His face turning a botchy red, as a vein throbbed unattractively on the side of his temple.

"Probably." Seeing the angry promise in his eyes, Tegan decided it was all of a win she was going to get that day. "This goes away if I get that report on my desk Petey."

"It's Peters." Pinching his lips together, he breathed heavily through his nose.

"I know." With a shrug, Tegan turned at walk away. "I just don't care."


	3. Chapter Three

Author's Note: So it took me a little longer than a week, but not really sure anyone is actually reading this. Again this is AU and hope you all enjoy. 

 

Chapter Three 

 

Walking into the S.T.A.R. Lab's cortex, Dr. Stein paused just inside the doorway as a look of exasperation flashed across his face and he shook his head in exasperation. There were times when he found himself amazed by the intelligence he found with the young people before him, then there were times, such as these, when he questioned how they hadn't been seriously impaired due to their inability to stay on task.

"Dare I ask what you three are up to?" His question startled the three individuals huddled near the computer screens jump in surprise. His ability to startle them did give him an odd sense of satisfaction. Shoving his hands into his pocket, he took in the guilty expressions. "I was under the impression we had our hands full tracking down a metahuman who has the ability to turn herself invisible."

"We are." Springing up from her chair, Caitlin wrung her hands together and shifted herself in front of her computer station. "Well were." Licking her lips, she tried hard not to look like a teenager who got caught joyriding. "We're just taking a little break."

"I would assume with the amount of time you three spend within these walls, your breaks would be taken somewhere else." Removing his glasses, he slowly cleaned the lenses before nodding toward the computer screens. "I may not have been blessed by having any children, but I was a professor for many years. I know culpability when I see it."

Barry and Cisco looked over at one another, looking a little uncomfortable, while trying hard to portray innocence. Caitlin on the other hand, was horrible at being covert. It only took a stern look from the older doctor before the younger one cracked. "Lisa got us thinking, and honestly, for us this is a break."

Scooting away from the screen she took her seat again, and didn't see the pained expression on Dr. Stein's face. "I was afraid Miss Snart's little speech would ignite your curiosities."

Any trace of guilt quickly evaporated, as a sparkle of anticipation filled Caitlin's eyes. "I wouldn't give that amazon too much credit, but she may have had a point. We basically know nothing about the metahumans we're up against -."

"Or" Cisco interrupted her, casting her a dark scowl, showing they were in a disagreement over something or other. "In some special cases, try to help."

"She's a whack job Cisco." Caitlin growled.

"At least she didn't steal my pen." Cisco muttered back under his breath.

Looking thoroughly scandalized, Caitlin's dainty hands curled into fists, as she stomped her foot in frustration. "For the last time, I didn't take you stupid Wile E Coyote pen."

"Either way." Barry moved to stand between the two bickering friends, he leaned against the desk to form a barrier. "We should know more about the meta's we're . . . dealing with."

Replacing his glasses, Dr. Stein took a close look at the monitor. "From what I know of Miss Snart, she never received any meta powers."

"Well, no." Caitlin blushed, caught again in a little fib, she licked at her lips and sat up straight. "But it doesn't hurt knowing as much as we can about both Lisa and Leonard Snart, because someone made a stupid promise with one of them."

"I had to." Barry grumbled sullenly.

"Anyways." Cisco cut in, as he spun his chair around to look at Dr. Stein. "There isn't a reason why we shouldn't have some kind of database on the meta's and humans we encounter."

"Don't let him fool you." Caitlin huffed. "He just wanted to know more about his new girlfriend."

Looking over at Barry, Dr. Stein raised a brow. "Do I even want to know?"

"Ah, no." Barry drawled as he rubbed his hands together and turned back to the screen. "To be honest, I kind of like the idea. Having a quickly accessible database of pertinent information we can use. With enough data, we can create profiles to better assist us."

"I feel compelled to be the voice of reason against this." Seeing the younger individuals glassed over eyes, a look he'd seen many times in his past, Dr. Stein sighed and made a wave with his hand. "What have you found?"

"I can't tell you how happy I am that you asked." Cisco stated. "Cause there's so much more to Lisa than we ever thought."

With a scowl, Caitlin muttered something under her breath and brought up a screen. "We're talking about creating a template of sort, so as we compile information on individuals, we can start cross referencing and hopefully in the future we can predict certain behavioral patterns."

"And with this information we've gathered on Lisa, and the backup stuff we kept on Snart, we may have a better chance of keeping them on a short leash." Barry added, his eager expression falling slightly as Dr. Stein looked less than impressed. "Anyhow, as we all know, Lisa Snart didn't have the best of childhoods." Looking over at Caitlin he gave a short nod as she pulled up another screen.

"After the death of their mother, Lisa bounced from living with her father the late Lewis Snart, and her Grandfather when Daddy Snart was serving time for one of his failed criminal activities."

"Which are vast." Cisco clarified.

"Her record was pretty clean until she was fifteen." Barry read off the screen. "When she got caught shoplifting at the Leawood Mall."

A look of smug satisfaction crossed Caitlin's face. "Not exactly the criminal mastermind, maybe she took your stupid pen."

"After that, there were a few more incidents until she got caught on a job with Daddy Snart." Using his body to once again separate the two, Barry clicked the mouse a few times. "The D.A. was pushing to try her as an adult, but her court appointed attorney somehow convinced the judge that perhaps she'd be better served with professional help. Seeing how she was just shy of her eighteenth birthday, and with her family's stellar rep, the court used a more compassionate stance."

"Worked wonders." Caitlin muttered.

"The judge, who'd preceded over many of Leonard Snart, and Daddy Snart's cases, sent her to the Havenwood Center."

A frown creased Dr. Stein's brow. "The hospital sounds vaguely familiar."

"It was shut down for misconduct, insurance fraud, and a slew of neglect and abuse charges." Cisco murmured as his finger flew over his keyboard. "At its peak, Havenwoods was the 'go-to' place for all the elites to hide their unperfect spawn, in hopes of rehabilitating them." Using air quotes, his expression turned sour. "Mostly, the kids who weren't buying into the pompous blue blood lifestyles went there to be reprogramed back into lemmings Mommy and Daddy could be proud of."

When Cisco went to take a breath, Caitlin cut in. "There were a few legitimate cases of mental health care, but mostly the center was used as a time out to the wealthy. It was a great scheme, except they got greedy, and started getting a kick back from the state, financially as well as creatively as far as taxes went, for taking in 'high risk', low income teens."

"In the beginning they were able to segregate the riffraff from the upper crust. But the court systems started to flood the center, due to over population of the state's detention centers. It took a while, and a successful breakout-slash-kidnapping, for the uppity ups to catch on that their unique little snowflakes were rubbing elbows with the underbelly of society."

"I vaguely remember the escape, but not a kidnapping." A mixture of confusion and intrigue crossed Dr. Stein's face.

Barry suppressed a knowing smirk, yet again another person got sucked into the Snarts' unique past. Nodding to where Caitlin nearly trembled in anticipation, he swallowed a laugh as she pulled up a picture of a pretty blonde. "Because when the kidnapped is one Tegan Eloise Wentworth, well we all know that family has the money and the connections to keep such a scandal from getting out."

"There was a theory shared by a few. Tegan Wentworth wasn't actually a victim motivated the family to keep her abduction on the down low." Cisco offered.

"Interesting." Moving closer to view the information on the screen. "Where did you get this information?" Three set of expressions met his question, all gave him an overwhelming sense of unease. "Oh dear lord, I don't want to know, do I?"

With a shake of his head, Barry rubbed the back of his neck. "No. No you do not."

"And how exactly does this information help?"

"It shows, Lisa Snart can make friends." Cisco cut a glare over at Caitlin. "And it also shows indicators that neither of the Snart's are quite the sociopaths some people think they are." His last words were aimed at Caitlin again, showing there was tension between the two when it came to one of the Snarts. "Well maybe one more than the other."

Clearly torn between wanting to walk out the door and forget everything he'd heard so far, and wanting to hear the rest of what the group had found, Dr. Stein fidgeted for a moment before letting out a long sigh of surrender. "Fine, continue."

"From the staff statements, Tegan and Lisa weren't exactly BFFs when they first met, and had to be restrained and separated on several occasions."

This information didn't exactly stun the doctor; he had seen Miss Snart's prickly personality first hand. "Out of curiosity, what was Miss Wentworth in Havenwood for?"

"On the record." Barry leaned over, and clicked the mouse. "An anxiety disorder. Off the record, she humiliated her Stepmother epically at the Windsor Heights Country Club winter gala, by slipping in photos from her Burlesque days into the predinner slideshow."

"Horrible, but I can't see how that would warrant admission into Havenwood." Dr. Stein muttered.

With a casual shrug of his shoulders, a sly grin tugged at the corner of Cisco's lips. "Of course, being expelled from four of the most prestigious private girl schools in New England didn't exactly help her cause. Though, I gotta say, getting expelled for skinny dipping on campus is one of my personal favorite."

"Oh, she sounds darling." Dangling his glass between pinched fingers, Dr. Stein felt the early signs of a headache.

"So after about five months, Snart easily slips past Havenwood's high tech security, to liberate Lisa. Was almost off the grounds until the van turned around and he went back in to abduct Tegan Wentworth."

"Excuse me?" Dr. Stein stuttered. "He had a clean get away?" Three heads nodded. "But he turned around to abduct Miss Wentworth?" More nodding. "Was it for the ransom?"

"Nope." Caitlin only shrugged at Dr. Stein's dumbfounded expression.

"Total radio silence." Cisco brought up a few more screens. "They were in the wind for about nine months, the police had a few close calls but Snart was a few steps ahead. Then out of nowhere Tegan just reappears. Walks right into Keystone's central police station."

"Just like that." Stein's frown deepened.

"Yes."

"And what did she have to say?" Though in the back of his mind he still had no idea how any of this information could help the young people in front of him in the future, he couldn't say it wasn't fascinating. "How did she get away?"

"Said she snuck out a window." Barry stated, his tone implying he didn't buy it.

"A civilian, a teenage civilian at that, snuck away from the Snarts out of a window?"

"That's it. She refused to talk about her time with the Snarts." With a shake of his head, Barry crossed his arms over his chest. "Her parents put her into another facility and after a year she transitioned seamlessly into Central City University – "

"Where she was abducted again her senior year. Guess who took her?" Cisco rolled back and forth on the balls of his feet.

"The Snarts?" Stein replied dryly.

His face falling, Cisco looked as though Christmas had been canceled that year. "Yeah."

"She was taken from the University's parking lot, and once again there was no word." Barry offered. "Unlike the previous time, she was with the Snarts for over a year, and the CCP had zero leads. The Wentworth's had a team of private investigators out looking for her. But it wasn't until a bank heist gone bad, that she came stumbling out of the building shot."

"Shot?" Blinking, Stein looked around at the others. "Who shot her?"

Shrugging her shoulders Caitlin looked as disgruntled as the doctor felt. "She gave a statement she was there for leverage should the job go south. Mick Rory -."

"Heat Wave."

"Set fire to the safe deposit room, as well as the bank manager's office." Glaring at her friend and coworker, Caitlin shook her head. "You really can't help yourself, can you?"

"Nope." Shaking his head, Cisco looked overly proud of himself.

Seeing that he was going to have to pick up his friend's slack, Barry pointed to the screen they had been looking at when Stein interrupted their research. "We all know what the Snarts have been up to since then. Our new friend Tegan, eventually graduated, and works as an underpaid agent with child protection services. As far as we can tell, there's been zero interaction between her and either of the Snarts."

"That's it?"

"Basically."

"But with this information we can see if perhaps there's any interaction between Tegan and the Snarts, at least that we can tell. What if she's working with them? She would be a great cover, or someone who may take them in." Caitlin spoke quickly as she added information to Lisa and Leonard Snart's files. "I don't buy her story that she was held captive, I believe there was something deeper than that. I think Tegan is probably the closest thing to a friend Lisa Snart ever had."

"There's a slight flaw in your theory Miss Snow." Replacing his eye glasses, Dr. Stein tapped his chin with his finger. "I understand why Leonard Snart would bother with Lisa, she is his little sister after all, and he appears to have a profound sense of family obligation to her. But I can't fathom an individual such as he, allowing another young woman to put his operations at risk, not once but twice."

"Maybe he liked her." Barry laughed as Cisco wiggled his brows. "As in really liked her."

"Please." Caitlin rolled her eyes. "I don't really see Leonard Snart being the romantic kind of guy."

"Thought girls liked the bad boys."

"We do." Caitlin agreed, but quickly clarified. "Bad boys are addictive. Leonard Snart takes bad boy to a new level, and I doubt a girl from Windsor Heights would be able to handle that kind of crazy. Not to mention, I don't see Snart going for the small cute blonde type."

"A rich, hot blonde type." Cisco corrected her, pointing at the picture on the screen.

"And what if you three are wrong? Perhaps Miss Wentworth truly was a victim in all of this." Looking sternly at the small group. He was happy to see he hadn't lost his edge in creating guilt in the younger generation. "She seems to have created a life for herself, and would probably appreciate some privacy. I agree to a certain degree that a data base would probably assist in the future, but there should be parameters established to ensure innocents, or third party civilians rights aren't violated."

Silence greeted him, as his words penetrated their highly intelligent minds.

"Well as informative and slightly entertaining that this was, I believe we're looking into a metahuman with the ability to be invisible." Seeing no new information was coming, Dr. Stein decided it was a great time to make his escape, before he was forced to endure any further inane chatter on missing pens, or romantic entanglements, even if he silently agreed with Miss Snow's assessment.

 

~~~!~~~

 

"Ms. Wentworth, a word please?" And just like that, Tegan's mediocre morning went down the tubes. She was well familiar with the shit just hit the fan tone, and after her little visit to the CCP the other night, she'd been waiting for her boss to haul her butt into her office for her once a week tongue lashing.

And her upcoming humiliation would totally be worth it.

Shifting her eyes to where a copy of Officer Petey's notes were safely tucked away in her purse, she felt a sense of vindication. A very tiny sense of vindication. There had only been just enough information to allow her monthly visitations into the Day household. Officer Dumbass may have had a huge problem understanding typical police officer protocol, but he wasn't a complete idiot. Or at least competent enough to write a report to keep him tight with her, without screwing up whatever he had going with Gavin Day.

Pushing herself away from her desk, Tegan tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, while letting out a deep breath. Mrs. Clarkson was a badass, who on a typical day made at least three of her employees cry. Man, female, it didn't matter, she was an equal opportunity terrorizer.

Feeling the not so subtle glances from her peers around the office, Tegan wanted to laugh. She may totally agree Clarkson was slightly insane in her definition of constructive criticism, she'd been through worse than just an angry boss, with a questionable communication style.

"Take a seat." Passing by her infuriated boss into the office, Tegan barely restrained the urge to roll her eyes. As soon as the door was firmly closed, Mrs. Clarkson didn't bother waiting until she was seated before unleashing the fury she'd been bottling up. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I thought I made myself perfectly clear the last time, unless I personally give you permission or your safety is in jeopardy, you were to keep away from the CCP."

"Very clear." Tegan agreed, remembering the unnatural color the woman turned.

"I don't remember giving you permission." Making her way around to her side of the desk, Clarkson rested her hands palms down, on top of the polished wood. "Were you in some kind of danger the other night that I am not aware of?"

"I can explain-."

"I knew I was making a mistake hiring you." Finally taking a seat, Tegan watched as the woman's rat like face pinched even further. Making her buckteeth and pointy nose even more pronounced.

"I know my past is a little colorful." Colorful was the best way she knew how to define her past in polite company, or basically any company.

"I didn't want to hire you because of who your family is." Her boss was quick to clarify. "Rich, spoiled and entitled."

"If it helps, I don't like them much either."

"It doesn't." Mrs. Clarkson snapped. "Were you in danger two nights ago?"

"No, but I can explain – "

"And I know I didn't give you permission."

Oh, Tegan was starting to really hate the condescending tone of the woman in front of her, and if she didn't control her irritation, she was going to end up losing more than her temper. "No, but you also didn't write me the parking citation that was due two days ago either."

"Parking citation?"

"Yeah, even rich, spoiled, elitists – oh sorry entitled brats have to pay fines."

Shuffling papers on her desk, Mrs. Clarkson read through what looked like a printed email, before turning her attention back to Tegan. "I was informed that you were there to harass one of CCPs officers."

Now she was unable to keep herself from rolling her eyes. Honestly, that man really was an idiot, and now she was going to have to exert energy she didn't want to, just to shut her boss up. "Let me guess, Officer Petey said I was mean to him."

"Actually, Officer Peterson said you were overly hostile and over reaching your position."

"By paying a ticket." Tegan raised a brow, trying to look bored and unaffected, while plotting on ways she was going to make the officer pay. She'd start out small, until he was paranoid, then she'd heat things up and then would really have some fun. It was too bad, she'd been honest when she said she didn't care what he did, as long as his actions didn't put any children in danger.

"It further states, there are witnesses who saw you arguing with Officer Peterson at his desk."

"We weren't exactly arguing. I just told him I wasn't interested in going out with him." The lie easily slipped off her tongue, and even though the gleam in Clarkson's eyes died just a little, Tegan knew she hadn't won this argument. The only thing she had accomplished was toss a whole lot of doubt onto Officer Petey's story. The next words felt like acid, but if she didn't get out of that cramped office soon, she was going to say something she shouldn't. "Either way, you're right. I should've given you the heads up. You were very – clear about that. I guess I just wasn't thinking."

The fire in the woman's eyes dimmed.

"I should fire you." They both knew she didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell for that, but Tegan knew the woman's next words were easier to follow through on. "Next time you'll be suspended for two weeks." A smile which rivaled that of the Grinch's curled at the woman's mouth. "Unpaid of course."

"Of course." Tegan muttered, as she stood from her chair. "Anything else?"

"Not a thing." Ms. Clarkson smirked. "Oh and Wentworth, I'll be keeping an eye on you."

"That's not creepy." Tegan muttered under her breath as she left her boss's office, suddenly deciding to call it a day.

 

~~~!~~~

 

"Why such a gloomy Gus?" It'd been a few days, and Len knew Lisa was still out of sorts over his stand on Tegan, but she'd get over it. Taking the other side of the booth, he eyed the plate of gravy smothered fries, and determined he may have been a little too optimistic. She may take a week or so.

"I don't wanna talk." Dripping a soggy fry into clumpy gravy over and over, Lisa refused to meet his gaze head on.

"We both know that's not possible." Leaning back, he kept his eyes on her face. "You've never been able to keep your mouth shut longer than an hour. I should know, I've timed you."

"Will you just go away?" Dropping her fry, Lisa picked up her napkin.

Pinching his lips together, taking a deep breath, he tapped his finger on the vinyl booth a few times, contemplating his next words.

"Seriously Lenny." Pushing her plate back she grabbed her drink and downed. "I'm in a headspace you'll only mock and ridicule. Not all of us can be cold hearted like you."

It was just like Lisa to attack head on, with claws when she felt pain. He should be used to it by now, but her words still felt like a punch in a gut. "Is this about Pops?"

A look of disgust crossed Lisa's face. "Seriously?"

"You can't still be pouting over Tegan." Seeing her stone-cold expression told him he was treading on thin ice. One misstep and he'd be cleaning up a Lisa sized mess. He knew better than to push her buttons when it came to certain things, and Tegan was a button he'd been avoiding for years.

"Like I said Lenny, not in the mood to talk." Grabbing her purse, she tried to scoot out of her side of the booth, only to have his booted foot block her way out.

"Lisa, let it go." Her eyes flashed back at him in annoyance.

"Lenny, leave me alone." Lisa hissed, as she leaned forward. "She may have meant nothing to you, but she was my best friend, my only friend. So, go do whatever it is you do, and I'll go do what I have to do. When I'm able to pretend not to have emotions again, I'll come find you."

Not removing his foot, Leonard ground his back teeth. Perhaps he'd miscalculated the impact of letting Tegan go had on Lisa. He'd assumed his little sister would get over it after a little while, and most of the time she was just peachy. But once in a great while, something would trigger, and he'd have to put up with some bitchiness for a few days. This time, it was a little different. Lisa had crawled off to lick her wounds, and that was entirely different game altogether.

The two siblings sat glaring at one another, until Lisa finally lost her patience and knocked his foot out of her way. "It's not just that I miss Tegan. But I miss what you were like when she was around."

"Don't."

"I mean you were still an ass most of the time." Lisa pushed, a sly look of satisfaction crossing her face. "But, when you didn't think anyone was watching, I saw you Lenny, and I know. So don't sit there, acting like you've got your shit pulled together, while your silly pathetic sister pouts over hurt feelings." With that she slung her purse strap over her shoulder and stomped off toward the exit.

Frowning when the door slammed behind her, Leonard flagged a passing waitress.


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

It wasn't until his fifth drink – well perhaps his sixth or seventh – was delivered, that Leonard finally gave in and could no longer deny the inevitable. It didn't mean he took the loss of his internal struggle gracefully. He'd even created several loathsome comments outlining his overall patheticness, and astounding girl-like behavior over some stupid photograph taken years ago.

It wasn't like him, getting all emotional . . .

Crap, this didn't mean Lisa was right.

With a dry chuckle and a shake of his head, he pulled the damned picture out of his pocket, and placed it face down on the table in front of him and glared at it with irritation. The stupid think had been burning a hole in his pocket for nearly a week, and within that time he'd only looked at it three times.

The first time was when he'd lifted it off his old man, and the impact of seeing Tegan's face, and the two of them together, had – if he was going to be honest, which he tried hard never to be – slightly put him off his game. Knowing that piece of filth had been in possession of it had almost turned out very badly. Instead, he'd quickly clamped down on his unwanted - and absolutely pointless – emotions and pressed on, jumping through the hoops until the bomb had been removed from Lisa's head.

The second time, was when he pulled it out for Lisa to see. That time he'd been marginally more prepared, for the emotional ass kicking - not the fallout of Lisa's recent life crisis - with the added fuel of a walk down memory lane. Coincidence had never been, nor would ever be his friend. It seemed fate was mocking him, setting him up before spewing vomit all over his life. He should've anticipated, should've known Lisa wasn't prepared. But he'd been weak, and felt compelled to show and tell, which now seemed quiet girly. Eff him.

While the last was right here and now, at Saints and Sinners surrounded by day drunks who were hiding away from their lives. Typically, he just to drop by for their tenders and fries, with a few of mediocre gin and tonics on the side. It didn't escape him as he stared down at white backside of the phot paper, contemplating whether to turn it over, or simply tear it in a few hundred pieces, that he too was hiding too. But unlike the other losers . . . no, there was no need to lie, not when he was letting the past get the best of him. Lisa had been right. Him playing it calm and cool, showing no sign of being affected by the past week, had only been an act.

Either Lisa knew him better than he thought, or he was slipping. Neither made him feel fantastic, or like the badass the rest of the underworld thought he was.

_He'd known without a doubt from the very moment he'd met Tegan Eloise Wentworth she was going to be trouble. The type that not only would give him blinding headaches, due to excess drinking, but also the kind which would throw his comfortable existence out of whack. It had been a foreboding feeling, one that tickled at the back of his skull, and made his gut tell him to leave her at the nuthouse._

_But he'd forged on, like the good older brother he was, telling himself he was only bringing her along because of Lisa's Chernobyl sized tantrum she was throwing in the van parked at the back near the exit, and it didn't hurt that the petite blonde shared the same name with the wealthiest family in town. Plus, there may have also been the slight possibility of being able to taint Lisa's new little friend, that made him a little giddy._

_When he'd gotten to the room Lisa gave, he'd been mostly irritated how his perfectly executed plan had been blown to pieces. They'd been seconds from getting off the hospital grounds, Mick behind the wheel, him in the passenger seat, and Lisa – well she should've been singing his praises. Telling him what a great older brother he was. Instead she was kicking at the back door, swearing she was going to unman him if Mick didn't turn the van around so they could go back for her gal pal. So, excuse the hell out of him for being a little . . . abrasive when he'd reached Tegan's room._

_"Rise and shine, it's time to bust out of this joint." Leaning over the younger woman's bed, Leonard smirked when her eyes shot open as she got caught up in her sheets as she struggled to flee her bed. When she ended up in a pile on the ground, he felt slightly vindicated over how Lisa had screwed up his plans, almost._

_It didn't take her long to untangle herself from the institutional sheets, and when she stood up in a hurry in a storm of blonde curls and outrage, he couldn't keep the smug smirk from tugging at his lips._

_"Get out, or I swear I'll scream my head off." Where he could see the conviction of her words, he could almost smell her fear from the other side of the bed._

_She was exactly what he'd expected to find in a rich little girl. Golden blonde curls, large cat like eyes and a pert little nose he would've bet was bought and paid for by Mommy and Daddy. She had all the earmarks of a Country Club princess, but he knew his sister, and there was no way in hell Lisa would befriend a brainless little twit from Windsor Heights, not unless she possessed some sort of redeeming qualities. If in a day or so he didn't see these qualities for himself, he was cutting her free._

_"What are you . . ." Watching silently through narrowed eyes as she struggled against a sluggish brain, he found it adorable how she assumed a twin sized bed would keep him safely away from her as she took in his appearance. It took only a tick of a second before understanding began to flicker across her face, and her fear evaporated into an expression of mistrust. "You're Lisa's older brother, Leonard."_

_"Not the hardest conclusion to come to, but I'll give you points for not, "screaming" your head off." Seeing how she wasn't moving, and any moment now someone was going to realize Lisa was not tucked away in her bed, or the strange van parked outback where it wasn't supposed to be, he needed to get them out of there fast. "Now be a good little girl and get your stuff, we have under a minute to be out of this room."_

_Still not moving, she eyed the closed door before shifting her attention back to him. "Why?"_

_"Fifty-five seconds."_

_"I'm not going anywhere until you tell me why." Crossing her arms over her chest, she almost seemed confident, but her eyes skipping to the door gave her away._

_He was going to tell her that he didn't give two fucks if she went or stayed, but at the last second her eyes narrowed in challenge. He hated to lose, and something told him if he turned around and left her there, he would've lost some sort of a battle of the wills. "Fifty seconds, and you're coming if I have to drag you out of here myself."_

_"My parents won't pay you a dime in ransom." Though her tone was bland, he could see she was testing him, expecting him to ditch her, but he also heard the truth in her words._

_It was good to know, and a better thing he hadn't been banking on a huge payout. "Forty-seven."_

_"Will you stop that?"_

_Keeping his face blank, he fought the urge to snicker at her obvious frustration. "Yes, if you'd just start packing, forty-five."_

_"I don't want to put Lisa in danger." Seeing she wasn't going to move anytime soon, and remembering Lisa's vow, he moved the five feet to her closet and was pleased to find a duffle bag on the top shelf. Making himself busy by shoving the clothing hanging there into the bag, he made his way to where she was blocking the dresser._

_"What are you doing?"_

_"Here's the thing." Seeing she wasn't moving from her spot anytime soon, he let out a sigh before nudging her to the right. "We have an extremely small window of opportunity here, and if I don't drag your scrawny little butt back to where my darling sister is not so patiently waiting I will never hear the end of it." Opening the first drawer, he couldn't help but smirk. "Very nice."_

_Fishing out a pair of black lace panties he let out a snort of laughter when her surprisingly fast reflexes had them out of his grasp and shoving them back where they came from. "Tell Lisa she's a gem, but I can't go."_

_Frowning, Leonard was torn between wanting to salute her a swift goodbye, and wanting to force her to shut up and get her butt in gear, he took a quick glance at his watch and reopened the drawer. "I don't get it, is it the finger painting or the all you can eat Jello that makes you want to stay?"_

_"None of the above." She snapped as he finished with the last two drawers. "You don't get it."_

_"No I don't." Slinging the bag over his shoulder. "Mostly cause I don't care." With that he bent down quickly and had her over his shoulder before she had the common sense to fight back. "Now if you care about Lisa and don't want her getting in any trouble, I suggest you keep that mouth of yours shut."_

_"Put me down." Feeling her brace her hands on his lower back, he anticipated her move of trying to push herself out of his grasp and countered by clamping down on her legs._

_"Stop moving." Adjusting her more securely, he moved to the door. "I suggest shutting up now, or I could gag you, which doesn't sound like that bad of an idea."_

_"To do that you'd have to put me down." Her smug response came from behind him, and her logic nearly made him miss a step. "On second thought, that sounds like a wonderful idea. Let's do that."_

_"Why can't you be a good little rich girl? Simper a little, beg for your life? You do realize most people find me scary?" Opening the door, he scanned the hallway, before exiting her room._

_"I'm sure they do, but you are aware you taking me from the crazy house? My decision-making skills aren't really all that sound. There's also a slight question of my sanity, so there's that too." At least she'd stopped fidgeting on his shoulder, and he could pay attention to his surroundings._

_"Tell me, does your little mental condition keep you from shutting up?"_

_"Sometimes." She replied quickly. "Other times I have these fits of uncontrollable yelling."_

_"Interesting." Hearing her threat in her words, Leonard clenched his jaw. If she was anything like Lisa she wouldn't hesitate to scream her head off just to spite him. "I have control issues as well. Mine are a little more hands on, and sometimes painful."_

_"Perhaps I get off on that kind of thing." This time his feet paused on their own, a smile genuine smile on his lips. "I can walk you know."_

_Right, probably in the opposite direction. "Where I am impressed, walking is such an amazing talent, I think this is preferable."_

_"Seriously, this is only going to end badly." Feeling her tiny hands grip onto his jacket, he waited for her to try and escape him again. "My parents aren't a little insane."_

_"So you're saying it runs in the family? Good to know."_

_"They won't give you money to get me back, but they would stoop to paying crooked cops and other less desirables to come and get me."_

_"I'm getting you out of here and all you can do is insult me? For the record, I'm the less desirable one, they're just lackeys." His words effectively shut her up, though he was pretty sure he heard her mutter something about him being the most aggravating and stubborn jerk._

_Hurrying down the dimly lit hallway, he slowed his pace when voices from a nearby room reached his ears. The bundle on his shoulder seemed to hear them too, and miracle of all miracles she suddenly went silent. Deciding to move on, he rushed past the room and to the staircase at the back of the floor both girls had been staying._

_His feet flew down the steps and he barely considered the jarring impact on the girl's stomach. With another glance at his watch, his pace never slowing, he grit his teeth in aggravation. He shouldn't still be in this damned hospital, he should be sitting down at the nearest pancake house, celebrating Lisa's newly acquired freedom. But instead of patting himself on the back, he was carrying what he was starting to feel was a very bad decision back to the van._

_"Put me down." Tegan's breathless words were just above a whisper, but being so caught up in calculating just how bad it would be on him should he just left her there, it was almost like a gunshot._

_"Sure thing Princess." With a mocking smack on her bottom, his mood lifted just slightly at her squeak of outrage. "As soon as we're at the van."_

_The rest of the escape went with relative ease, his bundle seemed to be fuming, which gave him the silence he needed as he slipped though the shadows of the hallway leading to the laundry, where he earlier had taped over the latch to keep it from locking. From there he moved to the service door and was relieved to see the back doors of the van were open and waiting._

_"Your chariot awaits." Dumping her unceremoniously onto the floor of the van, he was totally caught off guard when the heel of her foot connected with nose. "What the . . . !?"_

_All at once he could hear Lisa's voice, Mick's bark of laughter, and the sound of the smaller girl's body struggling to her knees to quickly place some space between them. Through tear filled eyes, snaked his hand out and latched onto her ankle, and yanked her back. Before she could kick him again, he threw his body on top of hers, using his much longer and thicker frame to keep her in place._

_"Okay, I'm done playing nice." Wrapping his fingers around her delicate wrists, Leonard placed his mouth next to her ear. "This is how its gonna go. You're coming with us because Lisa seems to have made you her very first friend, and was kicking dents into my getaway vehicle. But until I get tired of you, which shockingly is dangerously close, I am in charge. What I say goes."_

_"And if I refuse?" Tegan grunted into the metal._

_"Then I will need to teach you how to listen. Not so much fun for you, tremendous amount of fun for me."_

_"Lenny." Lisa snapped, from nearby, and he could feel the betrayal radiating off her._

_"Unlike our patriarch, there are ways to instill good behavior without using fists." Giving Lisa a look that he didn't appreciate her interruption, or misunderstanding, he looked back down waiting to hear something that sounded like they had an understanding._

_"So here's the deal. If you stay out of my hair, and be a good little girl, everything will be peachy. You'll be fed, you'll have clothes and I will make sure you're safe. In exchange, you'll need to pull your weight, nothing too strenuous of course. On the off chance, you decide not to stay out of my hair, and be a good little girl, everything won't be so peachy, and you'll find I can be a very resourceful guy when it comes to being defied." He knew the second her body relaxed her fight had deflated. "Good girl."_

She'd been an absolute pain in his ass, but not always an unwanted pain. He'd been convinced she would be crying by the end of the week to go home, proving to Lisa that her new pal didn't fit into their world. Instead, Tegan proved him wrong, probably out of spite, and had done pretty much what he'd asked. She'd stayed out of his hair, and was generally a good little girl, and pulled her weight, typically without complaint.

Letting out a long exhale through his nose, Leonard tapped his finger on the back of the picture before looking around for a wandering waitress. Typical, not one in sight when he wanted mediocre service. Picking up the photograph he scooted out of the booth and strode slowly to the bar. Scooting onto one of the bar stools, he nodded to the bar tender and waited for a refill.

Telling himself it was time to man up, and stop evading the inevitable, he turned the image over and allowed himself to just feel. It'd been years since he'd permitted himself to reflect on anything related to that time of his life. Well perhaps not the first-time Tegan had been with them, that time had been extremely short lived and filled with the tension of allowing a stranger to infiltrate his controlled existence. It had been the second, longer stay that had screwed with his center and had him behaving uncharacteristically. Or perhaps, predictably with the right incentive.

"Why hello sugar," The words were purred with a Southern drawl, and had Leonard swearing under his breath. "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

With a scowl, he slammed back the rest of his drink, and schooled his expression into complete blandness. "I really don't need your special kind of crazy right now Dixie."

"Come on now, is that any way to greet your lover?" Not needing to even look, he knew she probably wore an expression of hurt.

"Please." Twisting enough in his seat to glare over at the tall red head next to him, Leonard swallowed down a sarcastic comment over her head to toe black leather get up. Sure, it was one thing to look one's best while knocking over an art gallery, or uppity jewelry boutique. But leather, in the middle of August? It was a horrible fashion statement. "One time in the sack doesn't make us anything more than passing strangers scratching an itch. An itch I doubt I'll ever have again due to some advanced medication."

"Stop." Batting her eyes, she leaned forward as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "You might actually hurt my feelings." Looking over to where the bartender stood waiting for her order she smiled at him coyly. "Bourbon on the rocks handsome."

When he felt the man's attention turn to him, Leonard didn't spare him a glance. "I suddenly no longer feel like drinking."

Dixie's smile dampened slightly, but continued on undeterred. "I'm not gonna let your sourpuss mood spoil our little reunion."

"Listen Dixie, I'm a little low on patience today." Tilting his head to the right, a false smile snaked across his face. "Well – in your case, any day."

"And here I came baring a very profitable business arrangement." Her eyes traveled down his body, making him feel oddly dirty and slightly used. She was a walking porn cliché, and sitting next to her made him feel like taking a shower.

It'd been nearly a year since her last visit to Central City, and he wouldn't have cried had she stayed away for eternity. A guy makes one bad decision, and earns himself a stalker for life. He hadn't been exaggerating, it'd been a one-time stand, made at a very low time in his life and a cheap bottle of tequila.

"At the moment, my portfolio is just dandy." Throwing a couple of bills onto the countertop, he went to slip Tegan's picture back in his jacket when Dixie's claw like fingernails plucked it from his grasp. Controlling the urge to inflict serious damage, he balled his hand into a fist at his side and forced himself to stay unaffected.

"Who's the tart?" Unaware how close she was from having him break his stupid promise to Barry, I'm a buzz kill Flash, Leonard snatched back the photograph and tucked it away.

"As fun as these creepy little run-ins are with you, I've got things to do, people to terrorize." Watching as anger flashed across her face, leaving her complexion slightly blotched, he knew from experience he'd pushed the crazy button too hard, and likely would have to deal with some twisted kind of retaliation.

Giving her one last scowl, not liking the calculating gleam in her eye, Leonard had a bad feeling his life was once again changing.

"


End file.
